Tilting track amusement apparatus



13, 1953 J. P. GOWLAND 2,655,116

TILTIING TRACK AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed June 2, 1949 I I Inventor I tHarem/dud By A ttorneyd" Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE TILTING TRACK AMUSEMENT APPARATUS- John Pinkney Gowland, SantaBarbara, Calif.

Application June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,741 In Great Britain June 2,1948 9 Claims. it

This invention provides amusement apparatus employing vehicles or othermovable elements and a tilting track for these. It is an object of theinvention to provide an improved tilting track for such apparatus, whichembodies means by which the vehicles may be moved in a stepby-stepmanner over a number of consecutive track sections. In one applicationof the invention, the apparatus may be constructed as a toy. In anotherapplication of the invention, the apparatus may be constructed on ascale for carrying passengers.

Amusement apparatus according to the inven tion comprises a track havinga series of sections hinged together end to end and each pivotable on ahorizontal fulcrum between its ends ore? erably about the middle of itslength) so that the track sections are simultaneously tiltable up anddown in see-saw fashion on their pivots, and when so tilted, each twoadjacent sections are oppositely inclined. The track may consist ofstraight and/or curved sections forming a track layout having in planview any desired configuration which may be endless (e. g., circular) ornot. In order to avoid complicated constructions, the two ends of eachsection are preferably parallel to each other, and to the tilting axisof the section even when the section is curved for the whole or part ofits length.

' When its sections are tilted, the track provides a succession ofoppositely inclined planes, constituted by the track sections, so that avehicle placed on the elevated end of one inclined section may run downthat section under gravity and be carried by its momentum over the hingeK connection and on to the depressed end of the oppositely inclined nextsection, or past a dead centre and on to a rising portion of the samesection, along which the vehicle may climb for a distance undermomentum. By now reversing the inclination of the section supporting thevehicle, thus elevating its previously depressed end, the vehicle on itmay now run down that section on to the next section, and so on. Thevehicle may in this way be caused to travel from one end to the other ofthe track in the case of a pointto-point, or around the track in thecase of an endless track. By suitable control of the track, the vehiclemay also, if desired, be caused to return in the reverse direction alongthe track.

Apparatus according to the invention may be constructed as toys invarious forms. The track of a toy embodying the invention may beprovided with a base such as a board or plate on which the sections arepivotally mounted, or the sections may be pivoted to brackets forfixture to a support, for example, a wall, the necessary allowance beingmade in each case for relative movement of the hinge and/or pivot pointsof adjacent sections. Alternatively, the track may be arranged merely torest by its fulcra and alternate hinges upon a supporting surface, suchas a table or floor. The track sections may be made in convenientlengths of, for example, one foot. Each section may be made of anysuitable material, such as wood, metal or plastic, and may beconstructed as an individual unit formed or provided at its ends withhinge parts and between its ends with a suitable depending memher ormembers forming a fulcrum or a mounting for a pivot on which the sectioncan rock. For example, each section may have a depending projection,forming a fulcrum, of triangular section integral with or attached tothe track section at its base with its apex lowermost for resting as akind of knife edge, on a supporting table, floor, or other surface. Inorder to facilitate relative movement of the fulcra in accordance withthe pivotal movement of the sections, the fulcra instead of beingconstituted by edges of the projections, may be constituted by the axesof supporting wheels rotatably connected to the projections. Instead ofconstructing the track sections as individual units which are assembledand hinged together, the whole track or a length thereof embracing anumber of track sections may be formed in one piece of a sufilcientlyflexible material, such as a suitable extruded plastic, which isweakened transversely at intervals to form hinges between and integrallyconnecting the track sections defined between successive weakened zones.Suitable fulcrum elements, for example of triangular section as abovementioned, may be secured to the track sections of the one-piece trackor track length thus for-med.

As well as having any desired configuration in plan view, the track of atoy embodying the invention may also be constructed in various forms toprovide various kinds of track bed on which the toy vehicles may run.For example, the track may beconstructed as a monorail, e. g. of stripmaterial on edge, and the toy vehicles may be provided with rollers torun on the rail and with depending guide members which engage the sidesof the rail to guide the vehicles along it. In another form, the trackmay provide a substantially fiat bed and may have upstanding flanges orribs along its sides to form fences for keeping the toy vehicles to thetrack. The track bed may be sufficiently wide to accommodate a pluralityof the toy vehicles abreast, and may be divided, e. g., by upstandingflanges or ribs, into a plurality of lanes to which a plurality of toyvehicles running along the track simultaneously may be respectivelysegregated, if desired. Such a relatively wide track bed may be utilizedfor race games. Of course, for that pur pose a plurality of individualtracks, one for each player may be provided.

In a toy according to the invention, the tilting of the track sectionsmay be effected manually and all sections may be controlledsimultaneously by actuating one of the sections. No special actuatingdevice need be provided, as the operator can control the whole trackfrom one track section by merely raising and lowering one end of thatsection. If desired, however, an actuating lever or the like,mechanically or otherwise operatively connected with one or more of thetrack sections, may be provided for manipulation by the operator toactuate the track. In an alternative arrangement, the track may beactuated mechanically by provision of a suitable clockwork or othermotor having a driving connection with the track, for instance, to oneor more of the hinges for raising and lowering the. same or to one ormore of the fulcra or pivots for rocking the same. If desired, means,such for example as an inclined leaf-spring in contact with the track,may be provided for preventing backward movement of the vehicles.

Apparatus embodying the invention may also be constructed on a scale tocarry persons driving vehicles along the track. For such application ofthe invention, steerable vehicles or cars are provided to seat one ormore persons and fitted with a brake and preferably also with a lowgeared power or manually operated mechanism for driving the car a shortdistance so as to enable the driver to move the car under its own poweror manually, as the case may be, in the event that it should stop on ahinge during the working of the apparatus. Each car may also have aspeed governor. apparatus, the driver of a car may release the brakewhen his car has been elevated by the tilting of the track section onwhich the car is resting, so that the car will then. run down thatsection and over the hinge on to the next section which, beingoppositely inclined, will bring the car to rest before it has climbedvery far, the car being held by its brake in that position until thetrack section on which the car now stands is elevated so that the carcan run down it, upon release of the brake. With proper timing, almostcontinuous running may be attainable. The track for the cars ispreferably endless and may be provided with a flexible sliding coverbetween adjacent sections to bridge the gap which occurs between thesections when their adjacent ends are at the elevated position. A powermechanism is provided for actuating the track sections, and the drivemay be connected to the hinges to impart a vertical push and pullthereto or may be connected to the fulcra or pivots of the sections toimpart a rocking motion thereto; for either purpose, a mechanical driveincorporating suitable reciprocating mechanism may be provided.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, a number ofembodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

In the operation of the Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a tiltingtrack according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective fragmental view showing the connection betweentwo sections of this track.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line HI11I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar cross section of a tilting section element havingtwo tracks arranged side by side, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are a cross section and a perspective view respectively oftwo forms of monorail tilting section element with suitable vehiclespositioned thereon.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a toy tilting railwayembodying the invention.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of an endless circular tilting track embodying theinvention.

Fig. 9 shows one element of the same track in elevation.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of an endless tilting, track embodying theinvention. and including both straight and curved tilting sectionelements, different forms of the latter being indicated at the twocurved parts of the track.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a tilting section element withsupporting structure and a vehicle adapted to carry a person or personson such track.

Figs. 12 and 13 are fractional perspective views illustrating means foravoiding gaps at the hinge points of the track.

Fig. 14 shows diagrammatically a form of drive by which the track my beautomatically reciprocated.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, each track section may comprise a woodenplatform I, provided at its under side near the middle of its lengthwith a projection 2, which may be provided with a sharp or rounded edge3 at the lower end thereof, extending transversely of the track, saidedge being adapted to rest on a suitable supporting surface to form thefulcrum; preferably, however, the projection is equipped with a pair ofcoaxial wheels or rollers 4, which are adapted to rest on such surface411 or a single roller of suitable width, the axis of which serves asthe fulcrum about which the section may rock in a seesaw fashion, thewheels or the like at the same time permitting longitudinal movement ofthe track section. A number of track sections I, which may each beprovided with track grooves 5 for a single vehicle as illustrated inFigs. 2 and 3 or with several pairs of track grooves for a number ofvehicles 6 running side by side as illustrated in Fig. 4, are connectedend to end by a hinge connection. Fig. 2 illustrates a form of hingeconnection which is particularly suitable for toy switch-back tracksmade of wood. A platform l is built up of a central plank I and twolateral beams B which are of the same length as the plank l, butlongitudinally displaced relatively to the latter so that at one end theplank I projects to form a central hinge element provided with a crossbore 9, while at the other end of the same platform, and similarly atthe adjacent end of the next adjoining platform, the two beams 8 projectto form the outer hinge members provided with coaxial bores ID of thesame diameter as the bore 9. The two consecutive elements are hingedlyconnected to each other by passing a pivot pin I I through the alignedbores 9 and II]. It will be understood from the illustration in Fig. 1that by depression of the right-hand end of the platform I appearing inthe middle of the figure, this platform can be tilted about the axis ofthe rollers 4, simultaneously forcing down the left-hand end of theplatform I next to the right and thereby tilting the latter about itsown fulcrum axis, while the platform shown on the left-hand side of thefigure is similarly tilted in a position parallel to the position ofplatform I next to the right. Assuming that at the beginning of theoperation the vehicle 6 was located at the outer end of the right handsection I, this vehicle will now under the action of gravity move downthis section and, owing to its momentum, pass over the hinge connectionon to the platform I of the section element in the centre of the figure.If this platform is now rocked back to its position as illustrated, thevehicle will continue its movement to the left, again being carried onby its momentum so as to pass over the next hinge connection and reach apoint on the platform I of the section element shown on the left ofFigure 1, from where it can be further moved in a similar manner bycontinued rocking movement of the track. It will be appreciated thatduring each rocking movement the switch-back track will pass through aposition in which all the platforms I are horizontal, so that in thelatter position, unless longitudinal play is provided in the hinges, thetotal length of the track is greater than in the position asillustrated. Owing to this effect, and also due to the fact that theaxis of the rollers 4 which axis is the fulcrum for the actuatedelement, is located a certain distance below the platform I, theindividual section elements in addition to their rocking movement alsomove longitudinally in relation to the actuated element, a movementwhich, by means of the rollers 4, they are adapted to carry out withoutdifficulty, while in the absence of rollers a similar movement can beobtained by sliding of the fulcrum edges over the supporting surface. Inorder to avoid or reduce such longitudinal movement of the fulcra, thehinge connection between the platforms I of the individual sectionelements of the switch-back track may be arranged to permit relativelongitudinal movement of the adjacent platform ends; to this end, thebores II] in the beams 8 may be replaced by longitudinally extendingslots l2 as indicated in the left-hand end of Fig. 1. In order to guideor restrain the vehicles, each section may, for example, be providedwith track grooves 5. Alternatively or in addition, each platform I maybe provided with upstanding flanges I3, which may be constituted by theupper portions of flat upstanding side members I4, which take the placeof the beams 8.

Alternatively the track may be formed as a monorail. Fig. 5 illustratesone form of a monorail track l5 which is substantially of T section,while the vehicles I6 adapted to run thereon may, as illustrated, beprovided with flanged wheels I! the flanges of which co-operate with theouter edges of the track I5. It will be readily understood that insteadof using wheeled vehicles the switch-back track may also be operatedwith suitable ball or roller elements. In the case of a monorail tracksuch an element may be constituted by a roller flanged at its two ends,thus substantially constituting a combination of two coaxial flangedwheels I1.

Fig. 6 shows another form of monorail track, formed of wooden planks I8placed on edge, and the vehicles I9 adapted to run on such a track mayhave rollers 20 arranged in a central plane of the vehicle and adaptedto run on the upper edge of the track I8 and guide members 2| dependingfrom the vehicle on each side and equipped at their lower ends withrollers 22 adapted to engage the side of the track to guide the vehiclesalong it.

Fig. 7 illustrates a convenient form of toy rail- Way embodying theinvention. In this case the platforms I of the consecutive tracksections are connected at their adjacent ends by ordinary metal hinges23, secured to the under side of the platforms. Buffers 24 may beprovided at the ends of the track, and the section 25 which is intendedto be operated by hand equipped with a cylindrical rocking surface 25awhile the other sections are supported on rollers 4. As illustrated,this section 26 is formed as a tunnel which apart from making theappearance of the toy more interesting, also offers the advantage ofbeing convenient to operate by hand as illustrated without interferencewith the movement of the vehicles over the track. While in the examplesso far illustrated the track is substantial ly straight, the inventionalso contemplates the provision of curved tracks.

Figs. 8 and 9 show an embodiment in which an endless circular track isprovided. Each section 26 of the track forms a quadrant of a circle andis provided at its under side with a projection 21 forming a radialfulcrum edge 28. The hinge connection between consecutive elements issomewhat similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2, ring elements 29 and 29abeing substituted for the beams 8, with the difference however, thatwhile the bore 30 provided in the ring 29 for the passage of the fulcrumpin 3| is substantially circular with a small amount of play, the outerring element 29a has slots 32 for the passage of the pin 3I so that theadjacent ends of consecutive elements 26 are capable of relative angularmovement, under simultaneous radial movement of the fulcrum edges 28, soas to permit in the case of an endless track a rocking movementsubstantially similar to that described with reference to Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of another form of endless track which containsboth straight and curved sections and incorporates, by way of example,the features of Figs. 1 to 3. The latter may either be quadrants 26, asillustrated at the righthand end of the figure, or semi-circles 33 asillustrated at the left-hand end of the figure. It should however beunderstood that there must always be an even total number of elements inan endless track so that, with the use of straight elements of uniformlength as illustrated, the two curves of the track must either be eachconstituted by a single semi-circle element 33 or each be composed oftwo quadrant elements 36. The element 33 is pivoted about an axisparallel to its limiting diameter, while the quadrants 26 are eachpivoted about radial fulcra as described with reference to Figs. 8 and9.

It should be observed that the use of semicircular elements 33, avehicle will come to a standstill after passing the central radius ofsuch an element, that is to say, it will continue its movement beyondthis point only after the track has been rocked to its other operativeposition, the operation being thus slightly different from thatpreviously described.

While the embodiments of the invention described up to now are mainlyintended for use as small-scale toys, Fig. 11 illustrates an embodimentwhich is particularly suitable for amusement apparatus for fair groundsand in general larger-scale apparatus in which the vehicles are adaptedto carry drivers and/or passengers. Each section of the track isconstituted by a platform 34 of any suitable known construction, whichis supported at its middle by a pair of coaxial transverse pins 35, eachpin 35 being supported in a journal block 36 adapted to slidehorizontally in a suitable guide 31 which, in its turn, is secured in asuitable opening of a wall structure 38. for example of wood. Hingemembers 39 are secured on the under side of the platforms 4 at both endsthereof for connecting consecutive platforms 34 by means of suitablebolts, and connecting tabs 40 are provided to connect the wall. elementsof consecutive track sections. Means are provided for bridging the gapsformed between adjacent platforms 34 of the track in the upper positionof each hinge, and for this purpose, flexible rubber mats 4| may beprovided to cover the gap at its top position, substantially as shown inFig. 12. elements 39 may be so constructed as to provide for hingemovement about an axis passing through the thickness of the platform 3and one end of each platform 35 may be rounded co-axially with the hingebore 42 as indicated at 43 in Fig. 13, the adjacent end of the nextplatform forming a concave socket as shown at 44. The alternatingrocking movement of the platforms 34 is efiected by power driving means,and

for this purpose a link 45 may be interposed between a suitableconnecting point 46 (Fig. 14) at the under side of the platform and acrank pin 4'! on a driving wheel mounted in a cantilever manner anddriven by an electric motor 48 through a combined belt and gear drive49. Alternatively, the free end of the link 45 may be pivotallyconnected to a hydraulically, pneumatically, or steam operated piston.Vehicles adapted to run on the track 34 may be in the form of motor carsso and preferably are adapted to be controlled by an occupant by meansof a steering device 5| of known construction acting upon the frontwheels and a brake 52 acting on the rear wheels 56. The provision of thebrake 52 avoids the necessity of definite timing of the rocking periodof the platforms in relation to the speed of the vehicles, since theoccupant of each vehicle is in a position to apply the brake as soon ashis vehicle stops moving forwards and before it begins to movebackwards, releasing the brake again as soon as the platform on whichthe vehicle is positioned, begins to assume an inclination in theforward direction. Preferably, a low-geared drive 53, operable manuallyby the occupant or if desired a low-geared power drive, is providedenabling the occupant to move the vehicle for- Ward for a short distanceif for any reason it should come to a stop over one of the hinges. 54 isa speed governor constituting a speedresponsive braking means forlimiting the speed of the vehicle. This governor being of customaryconstruction, its mechanism is not shown in detail. The drive 53 may,for example, consist of a pedal lever with a low-geared ratchet drivesimilar to those commonly employed in childrens cars. It should beunderstood that the embodiments illustrated have been described by wayof example, and that various features of different embodiments may becombined to adapt the apparatus to varied requirements. Moreparticularly a motor or clockwork drive may be incorporated in toy-typeamusement apparatus according to the invention, in which case preferablythe vehicles or the like employed are provided with means restrainingthem from backwards move- Alternatively, the hinge ment such for exampleas a suitably inclined; flat drag spring 51 (Fig. 1).

I claim:

1. A length of tilting track comprising at least three substantiallyrigid track sections hingedly connected end to end for pivotal movementabout axes extending crosswise of the track, each section havingdownwardly projecting fulcrum supporting means for supporting suchsection tiltably on a horizontal surface, the combination being such asto permit, when the track is placed on a plane horizontal surface withall said supporting means resting thereon, tilting movement between twoextreme positions in each of which adjacent sections are inclined inopposite directions, the inclination of each section being oppositelydirected in the two said positions respectively.

2. A length of toy-size tilting track as claimed in claim 1, wherein oneof said sections comprises a tunnel-like member fixed to the track, saidmember constituting a hand hold by which the track may be manipulated totilt the same between said two positions.

3. A length of tilting track, comprising a plurality of section memberseach comprising an elongated substantially plank-shaped member havinggrooved guiding track means on its upper side and a supporting fulcrumpart projectin downwardly from its lower side, all said section membersbeing of substantially equal length and all said fulcrum parts being ofsubstantially equal height, and pivotal connection means by which saidsection members are connected end to end to form a continuous length oftrack.

4. A length of tilting track as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of saidsections comprises a tunnel-like member fixed to the track, saidtunnel-like member constituting a hand hold for manipulation to tiltsaid section when supported on a horizontal surface between twopositions of opposite longitudinal inclination.

5. A length of tilting track as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pivotalconnection means are of a type permitting limited relative movement ofthe connected ends longitudinally of the track.

6. A length of tilting track as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least oneof said supporting fulcrum parts includes a substantially rigid part androller means projecting downwardly from said rigid part and mountedthereon for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the track.

'7. A toy comprising a length of track as claimed in claim 3, a wheeledtoy vehicle and automatic holding means in said vehicle constructed tocounteract rolling movement of the vehicle in one direction of movementwhile permitting free movement in the opposite direction, said toyvehicle being suitably dimensioned for rolling along the track.

8. A toy comprising in combination at least three substantiallyplank-shaped elongated track members each having guiding track means onits upper side, said track members being hingedly connected end to endto form a hinged substantially continuous length of track, a fulcrumsupporting member projecting downwardly from each track member near themiddle of its length, whereby said track member may be rockablysupported on a flat supporting surface, a tunnel-like member fixed toone of the track members to cover the track, said tunnel-like memberconstituting a hand hold by which the track member may be manipulated totilt the same between two extreme positions, the fulcrum support meansof the other track members being each equipped with roller means wherebysaid members may move towards and away from the support means of saidone member.

9. A tilting track for amusement apparatus, comprising at least threesubstantially rigid track sections hingedly connected end to end forpivotal relative movement about axes extending crosswise of the trackand pivotal supporting means for supporting said sections whilepermitting its longitudinal inclination to be varied 10 between twoopposite values, the combination being such as to cause the longitudinalinclinations of alternate sections to be opposite at each extremeposition of any one section.

JOHN PINKNEY GOWLAND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

